Hide puller with operator&#39;s platform and conveyor interlock



Aug. 8, 1961 H. c. LIEBMANN, JR 2,994,910

HIDE FULLER WITH OPERATORS PLATFORM AND CONVEYOR INTERLOCK OriginalFiled July 13, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 f'ig.

C. Liebmann, Jr.

INVEN TOR.

BY (Wavy Aug. 8, 1961 H. c. LIEBMANN, JR 2,994,910

HIDE FULLER WITH OPERATOR'S PLATFORM AND CONVEYOR INTERLOCK OriginalFiled July 15, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 376 Q 380 Fig. 2

I72 382 I76 384 66 I80 Herbert G. Liebmann, Jr.

ZNVENTOR.

Aug. 8, 1961 H. c. LlEBMANN, JR 2,994,910

HIDE FULLER IITH QPERATORS PLATFORM AND CONVEYOR INTERLOCK OriginalFiled July 13, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig. 3

Herbert 62 Liebmann, Jr.

INVENTOR.

United States Patent 2,994,910 HJDE PULLER WITH OPERATORS PLATFORM ANDCONVEYOR INTERLOCK Herbert C. Liebmann, Jr., Green Bay, Wis., assignorto Liebnrann Packing Company, a corporation of Wisconsm Originalapplication July 13, 1954, Ser. No. 443,044, new Patent No. 2,883,700,dated Apr. 28, 1959. Bivided and this application Mar. 3, 1959, Ser. No.796,780

2 Claims. (Cl. 1721) The present invention generally relates to a hidepuller for use in removing hide from carcasses of beef cattle in a meatpacking plant and this application is a division of copendingapplication Serial No. 443,044, filed July 13, 1954, for Process andApparatus for Slaughten'ng Animals, now Patent No. 2,883,700.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a hide pullerfor removing hide from carcasses being transported on an overheadconveying system in which the hide puller is provided with an operatorsplatform and control assembly with the entire hide puller being movablewith the conveying assembly and carcass during the hide pullingoperation and subsequently returning, by gravity, to a predeterminedposition while awaiting the next carcass whereby the hide puller willnot stop the conveying system from operating but will effect itsoperation during movement with the conveying system.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hide puller inwhich the carcass engaging elements are provided with sterilizing meansfor maintaining the same in a clean and sterile condition.

A further important object of the present invention is to provide a hidepuller incorporating novel means for centralizing the carcass inrelation to the hide puller and having a novel operators platformdisposed in facing relation to the hide puller for providing accurateand positive control for the hide puller.

Yet another feature of the present invention is to provide a hide pullerwhich is simple in construction, easy to use, efficient in operation,clean and sterile, dependable and long lasting and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture and maintain.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying rawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view showing the construction of the hidepuller of the present invention with parts being omitted;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevational view taken substantially at right anglesto the plane of FIGURE 1 showing further structural details of the hidepulling mechanism together with the operators platform and the controlsfor manipulating the hide puller and for positioning the carcasscentrally of the hide puller;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the hide puller of the present inventionwith portions omitted for clarity to gether with a portion of theplatform being in section showing the details of construction thereof;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the control mechanism for the hidepuller and the carcass positioning means; and

FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the construc- 2,994,910 PatentedAug. 8, 1961 tion of FIGURE 4 showing further structural details of thecontrol mechanism for operation of the hide puller by the operatorstanding on the operators platform.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, it will be seen that thehide puller 46 includes generally a vertical upright frame 324 havingspaced vertical members. A pair of rollers 326 are positioned on thelower end of the frame and rotate about a vertical aXis between members328 wherein the bottom end of the frame 324 is guided in horizontalsliding movement. The upper ends of the frame 324 is provided withoutwardly inclined sets of rollers 330 engaging the lower flange of asupporting I- beam 332 that is inclined downwardly towards the flow ofthe carcasses that enter into the hide pulling station, for a purposedescribed hereinafter. A pressure tank 334 is positioned on a suitablebracket 336 rearwardly of the frame 324 for movement therewith. Further,it will be understood that the entire hide puller 46 moves along thesupporting rail 332 and is guided by the lower rollers 326. Secured tobracket means 338 and disposed between and forwardly of the frame 324 isa pair of remotely positioned pulling piston and cylinder arrangements340 having hide gripping means in the form of grippers 342 on the outerends thereof. Positioned between a stationary central member and each ofthe pulling hydraulic cylinder arrangements 340 is a hydraulic pistonand cylinder arrangement 344 wherein the piston and cylinder arrangement344 adjusts the angular position of the pulling piston and cylinderarrangements 340. A central pusher element 346 in the form of ahydraulic piston and cylinder arrangement 348 is provided with agenerally concave member 350 on the outer end thereof for engaging theback portion of a carcass for a purpose described hereinafter. A set ofhydraulic pushing piston and cylinder arrangements 352 are positioned oneach side of the central element 346 and are provided with end portions354 for engaging the carcass in a manner to be described. Further, itwill be seen that each of the hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangementsis provided with a supply line 356 for controlling the operationthereof.

As specifically shown in FIGURE 2, each of the grippers 342 is providedwith a flexible conduit 358 that is connected to a suitable fitting 360thereon and connected by valve means 362 to a sterilizing fluid line364. The operators platform 366 is positioned on a bracket 368 that issecured to the hide puller 46, and the platform 366 is provided with asuitable guard 370 for supporting the operator of the hide puller 46 inposition wherein access may be had to the control panel generallyindicated by the numeral 372 for manipulating the various hydrauliccylinder and piston arrangements of the hide puller 46 wherein the hideis removed from the carcass 68. The control panel 372 is provided with aplurality of control handles 374 that directly control the hydrauliccylinder and piston arrangements through suitable flexible conduits (notshown). It will be seen in FIGURE 2 that the control panel 372 issupported from an overhead bracket 376 that has its outer end supportedon a rail 378 by a roller 380 wherein the bracket 376 and con trol panel372 may move with the hide puller 46.

A cylinder 382 is secured to a bracket 384 positioned below the bracket376 and is provided with a control line 386 that is connected to a pushbutton valve 388 on control panel 372. Valve 388 is in communicationwith a 3. conduit 390 for supplying air pressure to the cylinder 382. Apiston 392 extends from the cylinder 3'82 and is engaged by a lug 252 onan overhead conveyor chain 242 when the piston is extended, therebymoving the entire hide puller during the hide stripping operation due tothe engagement of lug with the projecting end of the piston 392. Thehide puller 46 normally moves to the end of the downwardly inclined rail332 that is nearest to the brisket saw station and the projecting piston392 is extended into the path of movement of the lug 252 on thecontinuous conveying chain 242. As the lug 252 moves along, it engagesthe projecting piston 392, thereby aligning the shackle 1'76 and thecarcass 68 in exact centered relation to the hide puller 46, therebypermitting the operator standing on the operators platform 366 to engagethe grippers 342 with the hide and manipulate the control panel 372 in amost etlicient manner for removing the hide. Each shackle 176 isprovided with a hook 186 engaging a dressed leg 66 on carcass 68. Also,the shackles are movably supported on a first overhead rail 172 byrollers 178 and the rail 172 is supported by brackets 170 reinforced bywebs 174. As the chain 242 continues to move, the projecting piston 392will cause the entire hide puller 46 to move along supporting rail 332as guided by the rollers 326 and members 328 at the bottom thereof sothat the hide pulling operation is carried out during the continuousmovement of the carcass 63, thereby retaining the carcass 68 and thehide puller 46 in correct relative position. After the hide has beenpulled from the carcass 68, the operator engages the push button valve388, thereby retracting the piston 392 for release of lug 252 andpermitting the carcass 68 and the chain 242 to continue in its movementand also allowing the hide puller 46 to proceed downwardly along theinclined rail 332 towards the brisket saw station, thereby positioningthe hide puller 46 for a repeat operation.

Sterilizing water is supplied to the grippers 342 while the pullingpiston and cylinder arrangements 340 are at theextended position andwhile the grippers are being secured to the hide. In pulling hide fromthe carcass 68, the hydraulic piston and cylinder arrangements 344 areextended and arrangements 349 are extended while the grippers 342 areattached to the hide. The pulling arrangements 340 are then retractedand the arrangements 344 are also retracted, thereby partially pullingthe hide away from the carcass. The central pusher arrangement 348 isthen extended, thereby pushing the carcass away from the grippers 342,and the arrangements 344 cause the end portions 354 to engage thecarcass and to help peel the hide completely from the flanks or rearmeat portion of the carcass. The pulling arrangements 34% are thenretracted and the grippers 342 released, wherein the cycle is thencomplete. The sterilizing water is shut off during a portion of the timethat the grippers are not in use in order to conserve water and also tokeep water off the hide and carcass and to prevent splashing and burningof nearby workmen by the sterilizing water which is heated to arelatively high degree. It also will be seen that the platform 366 isprovided with a recessed central area 394 for permitting drainage of thesterilizing water and also fluids from the carcass into a drainage pitpositioned under the platform. Obviously, the platform and the variousgripping and pushing and pulling arrangements may be adjustablypositioned for correct positioning of the platform 366 in relation tothe hide pulling machine" 46.

As shown in FIGUREI, a series of pulleys 396'are mounted on the frame324 and hide puller 46 respectively and a cable 393 passes thereover,and the cable 398 being secured at one end to a frame member by bracketmeans 400. The other end of the cable 398 is tric motor (not shown) thatis mounted on the bottom of frame 324 for raising and lowering the hidepuller thereon.

After the carcass has been opened by a brisket saw, it is positioned incentered relation to the hide puller 46. The hide puller 46 is supportedon the second overhead rail 332 and guided by the lower members 328 andthe rollers 326 for horizontal movement during the hide pullingoperation. The rail-332 is inclined downwardly towards the brisketsawing station wherein the force of gravity will normally position thehide pulling machine 46 adjacent the brisket sawing station. Thecylinder 382 is provided with a projecting piston 392 that projects intothe path of movement of the lugs or projections 252 on the continuousconveying chain 242 wherein the lugs 252 will engage the piston 392during the movement of the chain 242. When the piston 392 is inengagement with a lug 252, the carcass 68 is centrally positioned inrelation to the hide puller 46. Also, the piston 392 remains in contactwith the lug 252, thereby moving the entire hide puller 46 along theoverhead rail 332 as guided by the rollers 326 wherein the hide puller46 and the carcass 68 are moved along at the same speed with the carcassin centered relation. The hide pulling machine 46 is adjusted verticallyby manipulating the winch 492 in an obvious manner. Further, theoperator positioned on the platform 366 moves along with the hide puller46 and is provided with a control valve 388 for retracting the piston392, thereby releasing the hide puller 46 from the chain 242 when thehide pulling operation is complete, thereby permitting the hide puller46 to return by gravity towards the brisket sawing station due to theinclined relation of the rail 332. The hide puller 46 is provided with aplurality of hydraulically extensible and contractible cylinder andpiston arrangements for gripping and pulling the hide from the carcass68 together with a back engaging member for pushing the back, therebycompletely peeling the hide from the carcass 68. The grippers. 342 forgripping the hide are provided with sterilizing openings for receivingsterilizing water from a conduit 358 wherein the grippers that actuallyengage the hide and engage the dressed carcass 63 are retained in asanitary and sterilized condition at all times, thereby assuring thatthe rigid sanitation requirements of a slaughter house will be met.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination with a first overhead supporting rail having aplurality of carcass supporting shackles movably disposed thereon, andan endless conveying chain engaged with the shackles for moving theshackles along the rail, a hide pulling device comprising a verticallydisposed frame, a second overhead rail laterally spaced from said firstoverhead rail and niovably supporting said frame, a plurality of fluidpressure operated expansion and contraction members each having one endmounted on said frame, each of said members including hide grippingmeans on the other end thereof whereby the hide or" a carcass may begripped and pulled away from the carcass, and means mounted on saidframe for engaging the conveying chain and locking the frame to theconveying chain for positively moving the hide pulling device with thechain and carcass during the hide pulling operation thereby maintaininga constant relationship between the hide pulling device and the carcass,said means including fluid pressure operated positioned around a winch.402 driven by a suitable elec- "cylinder and piston, said piston beingmovable towards and away from the conveying chain, said conveyingposition after the hide pulling operation has been comchain having alaterally extending lug thereon, said pispleted and the piston retractedfrom the path of moveton being disposed in the path of movement of thelug nt of the lug,

when the piston is extended toward the chain whereby the lug will engagethe piston and move the hide puller 5 References Cited in the file ofthis patent with the chain.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said second UNITED STATES PATENTSoverhead rail is inclined upwardly in the direction of travel of theconveying chain whereby the force of 2596481 Hmcks May 1952 gravity willreturn the hide pulling device to a normal 10 2696633 Hincks 1954

